Turkish Court Blocks T24 Over 118 LGBTQ-Related Items

A Turkish court ordered access to the independent news outlet T24’s website and social-media accounts blocked, with the Justice Ministry saying the decision concerned 118 items it characterized as LGBTQ propaganda published over the past year. T24’s editor said the entire website was inaccessible in Turkey, not only its LGBTQ-related coverage. The ministry linked the order to the government’s My Family is Safe investigation. It said the content weakened the Turkish family structure and negatively affected young people’s development regarding sexual orientation and gender identity. The reports did not provide the court’s full ruling or an independent review of the 118 items. The order was issued by an Istanbul court on September 30, according to the reports. The Justice Ministry said the court had directed that T24’s website and social-media accounts be blocked. The accounts were included in the order, though the available reporting focused on the website’s nationwide inaccessibility. T24 said it removed all 118 items within a four-hour deadline, while the entire website remained blocked.